Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-12-01


And with these last words she lay prone
upon the floor as il dead. Raymond placed
her in chair and sprinkled water in her face,
and then when she began to revive he rushed
to the woods to wrestle with his misery alone
All this while that he was with his mother,
and going through this painful scene there
had been an unseen auditor, who heard every
word, and that was Pierre. who crouched dazed
and stricken behind the portiere Without
wishing to he had surprised these terrible
secrets, and here too, for the first time, he
heard of Raymonds love for Suzanne. He
rose feebly and crept to his own room, and
threw himself on the couch with groan, and
tried TO range in his mind the things he had
heard. But all was a confused mass of sound
and sense. After awhile his mother came to
his room. She had never done so before.
Was it that her woman's heart cried out for
some one to love her, TO believe in herr
"Aly son, l have come to say good night.
/ hope. Pierre, that have always been
good mother to you"
"You have always been kind and indulgent
and full of affection"
"You are good son, Pierre; but feel to-
night as if had not loved you rs tenderly as
you have always deserved. And if have
ever made you feel that l have loved your
brother better than you, pray you pardon
me for it, above all, tonight"
And why tonight moro than any other
timer
Because feel very tired and very i'll. and
| feel that / have not long to live, and do
not wish, after am gone, that you think
did not love you"
.'If you are not well, mother, we win go
away somewhere. A change perhaps would
do you good. | will see the doctor to-mor-
row."
mo, dear, do not wish to leave here Now
shall go to bed; but, Pierre, before l go l
want TO hear you say, i pardon you.'"
II have nothing to pardon
''Say the words, my son; say them"
But mother
.Ah, you refuse; you are jealous still Of
the affection l have for Raymond. Oh, my
son, feel tonight that you are even dearer
to me than lie, and it is for that that beg
your pardon"
But Pierre had lowered his eyes and stood
cold and rigid, making no sign, and she left
him, scarcely able to drag herself along, and
his heart melted at the sight of her feebleness
and he went and sustained her to her room.
When they were there she said, again trying
so hard to smile:
$50, then, my son viii not pardon his
mothers"
81 cannot" cried he; II cannot heard
all. know ALL
"Ahl" said she, simply; then she burst into
laugh so harsh and strange that he started
and cried:
"Motherl Motherln
"Mother, mother; oh, yes, mother" said
she, shaking her head, but still laughing with
that awful strident sound. Suddenly she
stopped, and her head fell forward and her
arms hung Imply down each side the chair.
''Great Godf"
Even to his inexperienced eyes this was
death, and he rang and in haste sent for Ray
mond and doctor, and then returned and
with the aid of the servants got her into bed,
where she lay dying When Raymond heard
abe gun shots he knew at once it was a note
of alarm, as that was their method of COM
munication when either was in the forest and
was wanted at home He reached there, and
found his mother apparently dead, though she
revived and said feebly;
Raymond, Raymond, my best loved son,
viii you do me one last favor Go TO Roger
and tell him am dying, and bring him here.
1 cannot face God without his pardon Bring
him. oh, Raymond. and Pierre viii stay with
me. Dear. noble Pierre, whom never half
appreciated Go, my son, in Gods name"
RAYMOND rode as for life to ths White
House and told Roger, who looked at him
coolly and said:
And Suzannel Am to leave this iuno-
cent child to die alone while 60 to the bed
side of that guilty womruT